Local libraries participate in 'Summer of Numbers' math initiative

Libraries across 10 New Jersey counties are encouraging young visitors to brush up on their math skills this summer alongside their reading. More than 50 libraries and library systems across New Jersey are participating in Bedtime Math’s “Summer of Numbers” initiative, which aims to counteract the so-called “summer slide” that educators say causes students to lose significant academic skills during extended school breaks. In addition, many of Bedtime Math’s 7,000+ subscribers and Facebook friends ordered calendars to participate.

Bedtime Math is a non-profit organization dedicated to making the nightly math problem as common as the bedtime story. By sending parents a fun new math problem every evening to do with their kids, Bedtime Math aims to change how our culture thinks about math, and make it a natural and fun part of kids’ everyday lives.

Through the libraries, “Summer of Numbers” provides participating students a structure to measure their progress with daily math problems from Bedtime Math, through its growing online community. Participants pick up Bedtime Math calendars and a supply of gold star stickers at their local libraries, then sign up online to receive fun problems to tackle. Once solved, the kids can track their progress by sticking stars on their calendars.

To date, libraries and library systems in Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Somerset and Union Counties have signed on. While some have already offered “Summer of Numbers” calendars to visitors who come in to check out books, other libraries plan early July launches of the Bedtime Math initiative, coinciding with summer reading and learning initiatives.

Essex County libraries participating include Bloomfield, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair, South Orange, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange. Other local libraries include New Providence, Chatham, Chester and Warren.

Bedtime Math founder and Short Hills resident Laura Overdeck says the demand for calendars has surprised and delighted her. “We brought prototype calendars to a small number of libraries, and librarians jumped at the chance to pitch both literacy and numeracy to young visitors,” Overdeck said. “We decided to broaden our reach and now we’re in nine counties and counting, with 8,000 calendars printed to date.”

Overwhelming demand is something Bedtime Math has been getting used to recently. Even though the non-profit organization has been in operation for only a few months, its mission to help parents raise kids who like math is very popular. Bedtime Math can be found online at bedtimemath.org.

For more details about Bedtime Math’s “Summer of Numbers” initiative in northern New Jersey including local librarians whose visitors are using the program, or to speak with founder Laura Overdeck, contact Emma McKinstry at 212-576-2700 or BTM@goodmanmedia.com.